Fifth-wheel.



No. 818,787. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

H. s. RADER 88 w. H. WBRT.

FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES HARVEY S. RADER AND WILLIAM H. VVERT, OF PALMERTON,PENNSYL- VANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed uly 1,1905- Serial No. 267,986-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARVEY S. RADER and WILLIAM H. WERT, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Palmerton, in the county of Carbon andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Fifth-WVheel, of which the following is a specification, reference being badtherein to the accompanying drawin s.

This invention relates to fifth-wheels for vehicles, the object of theinvention being to provide a fiftl1wl1eel adapted for use on all classesof vehicles, including carriages,wagons, and cars, embodying aconstruction employing an antifriction ball-bearing and flanged bearingmembers or wheel-segments so relatively arranged as to form complementalball-races and guards which exclude dust, dirt, and other foreign matterfrom the balls and ball-races and also adapt said parts to beautomatically and thoroughly lubricated and to retain the lubricatingmaterial in the ballraces and around the balls.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinfully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a fifth-wheelembodying the present invention, showing a portion of the running-"earwith which the same is associated. Fig. 2 is an enlarged diametricalsection through the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the upperwheel member. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the lower wheel member. Fig.5 is a reduced top plan view of the flithwheel, showing a modifiedarrangement of attaching-lugs.

Like reference-numerals designate correspondin parts in all figures ofthe drawings.

The fiTth-wheelcontem latedin this invention embodies u per an lowermembers 1 and 2, respective y, each of said members being circular insha e and the two members being approximate y the same in size andsuperimposed one upon the other, the lower member bein secured to thevehicle-axle (shown at 3) hy means of the usual clips 4, while the uppermember is provided with lugs 5, by means of which it is attached to thebolster or body of the vehicle. The lugs 5 are placed opposite eachother when the member is to be attached to the bolster; but

1 they may be arranged at various intervals, as

shown in Fig. 5, Where the member is to be secured to a car-body ortruck-frame.

The lower member 2 isprovided with a parallel-sided circular channel 6,in the floor or base of which is formed a secondary and smaller circularchannel 7, which is semicircular in cross-section and forms part of theball-race, in which a circular series of antifriction-balls 8 travel. Inproviding the channel 6 opposing 11 standing flanges 9 and 10 areprovided, an the upper member is correspondingly rabbeted, as shown at11, and grooved, as shown at 12, to receive the flan es 9 and 10, saidflanges serving to retain the ubricating-oil and sup ly the sameconstantly to the balls, the over anging inner edge 13 of the uppermember acting to exclude water, dirt, and other foreign matter from thebear ing. The upper member is also formed with a depending annularbearin surface 14,

which is provided in its lower time with a circular channel or ball-race15, in which the upper portions of the balls move.

The upper member is provided along its outer edge with a pendent annularflange or rim 16, which fits around the lower member, so as to turnfreely thereon, and said flange or rim excludes dirt, dust, water, andother foreign matter from the balls and ball-races. The upper member isalso provided with an oil-hole 17 and has secured thereto in line withsaid hole an oil-cup 18, which may be filled with oil and waste, the oilbeing fed therefrom automatically to the balls.

By the construction described the lubricating material is automaticallyfeed to the ballraces and distributed around the balls and retained inplace, while dust, dirt, water, and other foreign matter are effectivelyexcluded, thus prolonging the life and adding greatly to the durabilityand ease of operation of the device as a whole.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Theherein-described fifth-Wheel comprising a lower member having concentricupstanding flanges and a ball-race intermedlate between said flanges, anupper member having a circular bearin portion Working between saidflanges am? provided with a ball-race opposite the first-named ball-raceand also having an annular guard or rim which encircles the lowermember, antil'rivtion-balls working in the ball-race, and means forfeeding lubricating material to the balls and ball-race.

2. The herein-described fifth-wheel embodying a lower member havingconcentric upstanding flanges and an intermediate ballrace groove, anupper member having a bearing portion worklng between said flan es andprovided with a ball-race groove, sai upper member being grooved andrabbeted to receive said flanges and also having an annular guard or rimencircling the lower member,

and a portion which overhangsthelower member at the inner edge,antifriction-balls arranged in the ball-race grooves, and an I 5 oil-cupcommunicating with the ball-race grooves.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

HARVEY S. RADER. WM. H. WERT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. HAUK, F. J. SMITH.

